Young – and young at heart – came to the Oakdale Post Office to spend a little bit of their time on Sunday contributing to a community service project.

The July 8 effort, coordinated through the Oakdale Odd Fellows 228, was designed to create colorful painted rocks to be used for a decorative rock garden outside the post office.

Among those painting, 86-year-old Jim Coleman, who was working on a sunflower.

“I’m a kid at heart,” he said, enjoying adding to the overall effort.

Noble Grand Pilar Kopping said she has been involved with the Odd Fellows for about 10 years and was pleased with the turnout, despite the hot weather on Sunday.

“Looks like it’s going well,” she said. “It’s something different.”

Rocks and painting supplies were provided and local artist Carol Earle, also a member of the Odd Fellows, was there to help guide painters. Many were working off of photos, other chose to do their own designs. All, however, were colorful and should serve to brighten up the area around the post office when the project is complete.

Shirley Newman, warden for the Odd Fellows, said people are also welcome to paint rocks at home and bring them to place in the garden.

“The whole point is to beautify our post office,” she said.

Veronica Duarte, a former Magnolia Elementary student who just graduated from college, came back to paint some rocks because she took art lessons with Earle, starting when she was seven-years-old and now is pursuing a career in art therapy.

Shannon Sherwood of Oakdale brought her three daughters, Taylor, 12; Madison, 10; and Sadie, 7, to participate in the project.

“We did it for the Fourth of July, we did a rock garden at our house,” Shannon said, adding they also wanted to take part in the community effort.